Group Security

[Midnight Rider]

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Does the size of a group provide more job security long term? Say you have three groups. One with say 10-15 anesthesiologists, one with 30-35 and one of those large 60-70+ groups. Do the larger groups provide more job security since it would be hard for a hospital or hospital system to replace a group of 60 physicians? Also what is considered a large group 20, 30...? Are groups that provide services to multiple hospitals under one hospital system better off as far as groups security. How much do these characteristics of a group weigh in terms of choosing a group (assuming all other things being equal)?

 

[militarymd]

No such thing in our business.

 

[Tenesma]

group size doesn't really matter unless the group dominates the whole medical system (very rare - except for maybe Valley Anesthesia in Phoenix)...

i had a buddy who joined a huge group in a large city - they were considered the best group in town - the partners were making big bling/bling...

unfortunately, the hospital he was assigned to chose to re-write the contract and hired a different group .... since he was the most junior of the recent hires, they axed him...

small group or big group --- it doesn't do much for job security.

 

[Planktonmd]

The only security is the F U account that jet wisely advocates.

 

[sevo85288]

bigger groups can do better with contracting. it is also more difficult to replace 20 guys vs 3 guys. yes, size matters. 🙂

but obviously even bigger groups can lose contracts etc.

an anesthesia group with 80+ members here in N.CA recently told Blue Cross that they would no longer serve their patients due to poor unit rate. Blue Cross had no choice since there were no other groups/hospitals that would replace the guys. Blue Cross tried to pressure the hospital to lean on the group and the hospital sided with the group.(hard to pressure the largest dept in the hospital; about 40 of the guys practice at that site, others rotate at about 10 different places) Blue Cross now pays what they should.

 

[deleted126335]

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[Planktonmd]

Agreed, but as you get older, the job becomes more than just a paycheck. You and your family get plugged into the community and schools and the thought of starting over in a new city and a new hospital, starting at the bottom proving yourself to a whole new group of people, learning the ropes and who you can trust at a new hospital becomes a journey that you just don't want to take again.

I know exactly what you are talking about.
Fear of change is an anchor that keeps many of us where we are, sometimes for too long.